India have yet to taste success against Australia in this painful series, but they certainly recorded a convincing win over the International Cricket Council yesterday and as a result have agreed to continue the tour.

As per India's wishes, the ICC stood down the controversial Jamaican umpire Steve Bucknor from the Perth Test, with the New Zealander Billy Bowden called up to take his place. India have also lodged an appeal against Harbhajan Singh's three-match suspension for allegedly calling the Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds a "monkey" during the Sydney Test, and have been successful in laying a charge of abusive behaviour against Australian spinner Brad Hogg.

The ICC's moves to accommodate India's wishes appear to have convinced the Board of Control for Cricket in India to press on with the tour. A committee met in Delhi yesterday to discuss the status of the series and delegates voted overwhelmingly to continue the series, despite a massive push among India's vast fan base to have the team brought home with immediate effect.

The BCCI did, however, issue a combative statement that insisted on the complete exoneration of Harbhajan.

"The WC [working committee of the BCCI] reiterated that the ban imposed on Harbhajan is totally unacceptable," it said . "It further authorised the president [Sharad Pawar] to take all possible steps at his command and deploy all human and material resources available to get the player cleared of the obnoxious and baseless accusation."

It went on to warn that the continutation of the tour was only "an interim arrangement" that depended on the accusations against Harbhajan being "set aside or withdrawn".

India's players were last night told to pack their bags for Canberra, where the team is due to start a three-day tour match against the Australian Capital Territory chairman's XI tomorrow. Harbhajan's appeal hearing is not expected to be completed for about a fortnight but the Indians enjoyed more immediate success in their bid to remove Bucknor from the remainder of the series. Having made a series of wrong decisions during the contentious New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Bucknor had been in the Indians' crosshairs for several days and yesterday paid the price.

"It is important to stress that Steve [Bucknor] has not been replaced due to any representations made by any team or individuals," said the ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed. "The [council] remains the sole body responsible for the appointment of umpires and no team has the right to object to any appointment. The decision by the ICC to replace Steve for this match was made in the best interests of the game and the series."

Speed said a second match referee in Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle would be flown into Perth to serve as a mediator between the opposing captains, Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble, ahead of the third Test. But Madugalle's role does not guarantee success, and yesterday he faced a roadblock after the Indians lodged an official complaint into the behaviour of Hogg during the Sydney Test.

The Indians are also keen for Harbhajan to play while his appeal is pending, a move that will no doubt infuriate the Australians but which looks likely. "I'm not sure we can have [the hearing] finished by the Perth Test [starting January 16] - I'm hopeful we can have it finished by the Adelaide Test," Speed said. The Adelaide Test begins on January 24 and Speed said at least 10 witnesses are to be called. He admitted it seemed a favourable time frame for India. "But that's the way it falls. These things take time to organise."